ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will not practice earlier than Friday while recovering from an injured knee, coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday.
Daniels went through a rehabilitation session and threw on the field Wednesday but was not going to take part in that day's work with teammates, Quinn added.
The Commanders (1-1) host the Las Vegas Raiders (1-1) on Sunday.
“As we get into Friday, I’ll give you an assessment where we’re at,” Quinn said.
Last season's AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year was hurt in the fourth quarter of Washington's 27-18 loss at the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night and later had an MRI exam that revealed the injury. Daniels was sacked four times and faced pressure throughout the game from a blitz-heavy Packers’ defense.
“We recognize the importance of the person, the player, what he means to the franchise, so we’re also going to be smart, not just fast, with this assessment,” Quinn said about his starting quarterback. “This is a player that’s absolutely wanting to do everything, all the time.”
Quinn said Daniels' throwing and movement “looked good” while working on his own on Wednesday, while noting that it's important to see him on the field with the rest of the team before playing in a game.
“But it was a good first step,” Quinn said.
If Daniels is held out of Sunday's game, backup Marcus Mariota would be in line to make his first NFL start since 2022 with the Atlanta Falcons. Mariota appeared in relief of the starting QB in three games each in 2023 with the Philadelphia Eagles and 2024 with Washington.
“We have the utmost confidence in him,” Quinn said.
Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft after winning the Heisman Trophy at Oregon, worked with starters during practice on Wednesday.
He was rested during this year's training camp and preseason because of Achilles tendinitis and said that he's felt back to normal for a couple of weeks now.
“We do a great job of getting a bunch of walkthrough reps, so for me, from a mental standpoint, I felt like I was always engaged,” Mariota said, "and once I felt good physically, I could just kind of come back and roll with everybody.”
He had success in his three appearances last season coming on midgame to fill in for Daniels, completing 34 of 44 passes — 77.3% — for 364 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
“We communicate throughout the day, see how he’s feeling. I’m sure he is tired of everybody asking him how he’s feeling,” Mariota said about Daniels.
“I always try to approach it like I’m going to play,” Mariota said. “That way, if the scenario happens — or I’m given the opportunity to play — nothing changes for me on a week-to-week basis.”
Daniels was one of several Commanders players hurt against the Packers, and cornerback Jonathan Jones went on injured reserve Wednesday with a bad hamstring. Quinn said the team expects Jones to return to the roster at some point this season.
Running back Austin Ekeler and defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. both were put on IR on Monday with season-ending injuries. Washington signed free-agent defensive end Preston Smith — who previously was with the club from 2015-18 — to replace Wise.
Quinn praised Smith's “proven pass-rush ability, and we liked his size, too. ... Felt like a good fit.”
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